Headlight-adjuster for automobiles.



L. M. LEAGH.

HEADLIGHT ADJUSTER FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1909.

922,299, Patented May 18,1909.

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wituuoeo simple adjusting devices which will turn the head-light.

the operating shalt may of the automobile and operatively connected unrrnn STATES rrtrnnfr onrron.

HEADLIGHT-ADJUSTER FOR AUTOMOBIIZES.

No. 922,299. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 18, 1909.

with the steering wheel so that the adjuster will be adjusted whenever the steering wheel To all whom it may concem:

M. LEAGH, a

1S operated to change Be it known that I, LEONARD citizen of the United States residing at Fort Worth, in the county of Tarrant and State of vehlcle, Figs; 1 and 2 show adjuster-mount- Texas, have invented certain new and useful ed on the axle of the vehicle, The head-light Improvements in Headlight-Adjusters for l'is mounted on the axle 2 by meansof a flexi- Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to head-lights for automobiles or other vehicles, and the obj ect isto provide simple adjusting devices by which the head-lights will be automatically turned when the vehicle turns so that the light will be thrown in the direction in which the vehicle must go or will go. With head-lights, as now used, the light is thrown in a straight line for some time after the wheels of the automobiles have been turned in another direction.

The object of this invention is to provide springs 3 and 4, and their couplings. The spring 4 is connected to the rod 5 by means of a coupling 6 which is rigid on the s ring and which has a pivotal connection wit the rod 5 by reason of the pivot bolt 7. The spring 3 is connected to the spring 4 by means of a coupling 8 which is pivotally con nected with clevises 9 and 10, the clevsprings4 and 3 respectively. The spring 3 .is connected withthe'rod 11 orshaft 11 by means of a coupling 12 which is rigidly mounted on the spring 3 and which is p1vot- 'ally connected to the shaft 11 by a pivot head-light of an automobile in the same direction as the wheels are turned and to turn the head-light simultaneously with the turning of the wheels. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in theiollowing description, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accom mnying drawings which 'l'orma part of this application and specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a head-light provided with the adjusting-devices attached to an automobile. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a ortion of an automobile provided with a Fig.

position by thebraces 14 and-15. The shaft 5 is supported from the axle 2 by means of lateral braces 16 and 17, the brace 16 engaging the shaft 5 above-a .pinion 18 .brace' 17 engaging this shaft belowthe pinion 18. .The shatt'5 is 'iurthersupported by a brace 19 which engages the central part of the axle. 1 The braces 16 and 17 and 19 are rigid with the axle and support the shalt 5 inoperative position. is thus supported on the axleand is made flexible so that it will move with the body as the body of the automobile rocks on its springs. The pinion 1 8 is actuated by a rack 20. The arms 21 and 22 are extended for wardly and outwardly and the ends thereof are pivotally connected with the ends oi' a bar 23. f The arms 21 and 22 are the steering arms of an ordinary automobile extended sov that the rack bar 23 will be far enough from the axle so that-the rack 20 which is formed on the bar 23 will mesh with the pinion 18.

The steering arms 21 and 22 are operated by the usual hand-wheel 24. Whenever the steering mechanism is. operated the shaft of the head-light will be rotated by the rack 20-. It will be understood that the shaft 11 moves freely and vertically through the braces 14 and 15 asthe automobile sways on its springs 25, consisting of a pinion'mounted on said shaft and a rack bar curved to conform with the radial movement of said front axle relative to said shaft.

3 is a plan view of a brace which is attached to the body of the automobile for. guiding the movement of the head-light support. Fig. 4 illustrates how turn two head-lights instead of one head-light. Fig. 5 shows a head-light mounted on the automobile body instead of on the axle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and shows the variation in the manner of operating the head-light. Fig. 6 shows the coupling which connects thetwo springs of the head-light shaft.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate-the same parts throughout the several views.

The head-light adjuster is applicable to any automobile of ordinary construction and maybe mounted on the axle or on thebody the direction of "the ises Qand 10 being rigidly mounted on the.

ble shaft, which is made flexible by two v bolt 13. The rod or shaft 11 is held in upright and the The shaft of the head-light 20 light and the 25 the same time.

3 end of the shaft.

5 tangular aperture therethrough and a 'portion of the shaft 11 is made square in crosssection so that it will move vertically and freely through the yoke 28 which may be mounted on brace 14 or brace 15. The shaft 11 will thus continue to turn the yoke 28 at whatever height the shaft may move through the yoke. The head-lights 26 and 27 are connected to the yoke 28 by rods 29 and 30 i which are pivotally connected to the oke 28 and loosely connected with the hea -lights.

Fig. 4 illustrates the manner of connecting the head-lights to the yoke, the rod being connected to the rear part of the yoke and to the rear of the pivotal mounting of the headrod 29 being pivotally connected to the f z'ont part of the yoke 28 and loosely connected to the head-light 26 forward of the pivotal mounting. The shaft 11 will, with these connections, turn both head-lights at The head-light may also be mounted on the body of the automobile, as shown in Fig. 5. A shaft 31 is journaled on the front of the vehicle by means of bearings 32 and a head-light '1 mounted on the upper A bevel gear wheel 33 is mounted on the lower end of the shaft 31. A bevel gear wheel 34 is mounted on the steering shaft 24. A shaft 35 is j ournaled in bearings 36 which are attached to the bottom of 35 the vehicle body. This shaft 35 has a bevel gear wheel 37 which meshes with and is driven by the wheel 34 and this shaft is also provided with a bevel gear wheel 38 which meshes with and drives the wheel In 40 this manner the turning of the steering shaft may or will turn the head-light whenever the steering mechanism is used to change the direction of the vehicle.

Having fully described my invention, what I' claim as new and desire to secure by Let;

ters Patent, is, p

1. In a vehicle provided with a steering gear, a head-light, a vertically extensible shaft supportin said head-light, and gearing for rotatm sai shaft operatively connected with said s aft and said steering gear whereby said head-light is turned whenever said i steering gear is operated. f 2. In a vehicle provided with steering gear, 7 a head-light, a flexible shaft supporting said vehicle and supporting said shaft, a gear wheel mounted on said shaft and a rack bar operatively connected with'said steering gear and meshing with said gear wheel whereby said head-light is turned whenever said steering gear is o erated. I 4. In a ve icle provided with a front axle anda rear axle steering gear, head-lights, a f vertlically disposed rotatable shaft operative y connected with said head-lights, and

carin for drivim said shaft consistin of a o b pinion mounted on said shaft and a rac bar curved to conform with the radial movement of said front axle relative to said shaft.

5. In a vehicle provided with steering gear, head-lights, a vertically disposed rotatable and extensible shaft operatively connected I with said head-lights, braces engaging said shaft loosely and attached to the body of said vehicle, braces attached to the axle of the vehicle and supporting said shaft, a pinion mounted on sald shaft, and gearing for driving said pinion operatively connected with said steering gear.

6. Ina vehicle provided with steering gear, head-lights, a vertically disposed rotatable shaft operatively connected with said head lights, a pinion mounted on said shaft, said steering gear including a bar projected in front of the vehicle, and a rack formed on said bar and adapted to mesh with and operate said pinion.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand in the presence of two witnesses, this 12th day' of Witnesses:

A. L. JACKSON, J- W. STITT. 

